Unique Statistics:

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Abstract

Background:

The most common cause of lower back pain is the pathological degeneration of the nucleus pulposus (NP). Promising NP regeneration strategies involving human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) would require specific markers to confirm successful differentiation into the NP lineage and to distinguish the articular cartilage (AC).

Objective:

We sought specific NP mRNA markers that are upregulated in native NP cells but not in dedifferentiated NP cells, undifferentiated hMSCs or chondrocytes. We also considered the suitability of non-invasive Raman spectroscopy to distinguish among these classes of cells.

Method:

We used quantitative real-time PCR and Raman spectroscopy to analyse undifferentiated hMSCs in monolayers and embedded in hydrogels, and compared the results with dedifferentiated and redifferentiated human NP and AC cells.

Conclusion:

We recommend ANXA3, COL2 and PAX1 as markers to determine the success of hMSC-based differentiation to regenerate NP cells. Raman spectroscopy can be used to determine cell type and differentiation status especially in the context of clinical trials.

About the Editor

Biography of Valery V. Tuchin

Dr. Valery V. Tuchin is a Professor and Head of Optics and Biophotonics at Saratov National Research State University and various other universities/institutions. His research interests include tissue optics, laser medicine, tissue optical clearing, and nanobiophotonics. Prof. Tuchin is a fellow of SPIE and OSA. He was awarded the Honored Science Worker of the Russia, Honored Professor of Saratov University, SPIE Educator Award, FiDiPro (Finland), Chime Bell Prize of Hubei Province (China), and Joseph W. Goodman Book Writing Award (OSA/SPIE). He has published more than 700 papers (Web of Science), 27 monographs and text-books, and 58 book chapters. Dr. Tuchin is also a holder of more than 50 patents.

Saratov National Research State University, Institute of Precision Mechanics and Control of the RAS, Saratov, Russia

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